Supporting mechanism for well pumping equipment



c. R. ATHY 2,175,589

SUPPORTING MECHANI'SM FOR WELL PUMPING EQUIPMENT Oct. l0, 1939.

Filed May 9, 1959 Patented Oct. 10, 1939 f UNITED STATES PATENT OFFCE Clifford R. Athy, Columbus,

International-Stacey Ohio, a corporation o Ohio, assignor to Corporation, Columbus, f Ohio Application May 9, 1939, Serial No. 272,662

4 Claims.

'Ihis invention relates to well pumping equipment of the type employing a reciprocating walking beam and is particularly directed to means carried by the beam for connecting the polished rod supporting mechanism with the outer end of the beam. The primary object of the invention resides in the provision of a tool supporting head having means for adapting it to the use of various types of flexible connecting elements from which the polished rod and complemental mechanism are suspended.

Another object rests in the provision of a tool supporting head comprising a body having an arcuate iront surface at the upper end of which is secured an anchor block having curved recesses to receive a plurality of looped cables connected at their ends with a polished rod gripping mechanism, the ends of one recess in the anchor block being provided with means to receive the upper ends of chains employed to replace the aforesaid cables and the polished rod grip being formed with a plurality of spaced lug members to receive the lower ends of the chains. The chain receiving means on the anchor block and the lug members on the polished rod grip are to be disposed in registration when the parts are operatively positioned.

Other objects will be apparent from the iollowing description of the preferred form of the invention which has been illustrated in detail in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the forward end of a walking beam provided with a tool supporting head formed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational View of the head shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the line III-III of Fig. 1 and shows the supporting head and polished rod grip connected by flexible cables;

Fig. 4 is a similar View illustrating the supporting head and polished rod grip connected by roller type chains.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the numeral I designates the forward end of a walking beam which has a pair of laterally spaced upwardly extending plates 2 in the upper ends of which are formed registering openings for the reception of a transversely extending pin 3. The intermediate portion of the pin 3 extends through the upper ends of side plates 4 forming the body of the tool supporting head 5. At the forward edge of the plates 4 there is connected a vertically curved front plate 6. The center of the arcuate surface of the plate is disposed on the pivotal axis of the walking beam.

At the upper end of the curved plate, the head 5 is provided with an anchor block 1 in which 5 a plurality of curved recesses 8 and 9 are formed. The recesses receive the looped portions of a pair of flexible cables ID having the intermediate portions arranged in engagement with the curved surface of the plate 6. At the lower ends 10 of the cables there is supported a polished rod grip Il fastened to the cables by having the ends of the cables looped around the ends of the polished rod grip and secured to the bodies of the cables by clamps I2. 'Ihe ends of the polished 15 rod grip have grooves to receive the cables and prevent their longitudinal displacement when the apparatus is in use. The intermediate portion of the grip is formed to include a slot I3 through which the polished rod I4 extends. A 20 clamp I5 is secured to the polished rod above the grip lto prevent the rod from being pulled through the slot by the weight of the pumping elements and sucker rods secured to its lower end.

To prevent the cables from moving out of the 25 recesses 8 and 9, the open sides of the recesses are closed by a plate la. secured to the anchor block by bolts I 6. At each end of the recess 9 formed in the anchor block, there is provided a pair of transversely spaced lugs I'l having register- 30 ing perforations to receive connecting pins I8 which secure flexible chains I9 to the support. These chains are used to replace the cables when the latter fail from extended use or for other reasons.

'Ihe polished rod grip has a pair of spaced lugs 20 provided `on its upper surface, the spacing between the lugs being substantially equal to the spacing between the lugs Il formed on the anchor block 1. The lugs 20 are also per- 40 forated to receive pins 2| employed in securing the polished rod grip to the lower ends of the chains I9. The length of the lugs 20 is such that the side links of the chains will be disposed at either end of the lugs to provide for 45 the registration of perforations in the links with those in the lugs 20. The pins 2| extend through the aligned perforations and anchor the chains to the polished rod grip.

Ordinarily, the side links of the roller chains have the ends disposed in offset relationship and the spacing between the lugs of each pair on the anchor block will accommodate the narrow end of a chain link. The wide ends of the links overlap the narrow ends and rollers are placed between the overlapped side links, the rollers and the overlapped links being formed with aligned openings through which rivets 22 extend. One of the rollers is disposed between the side links connected with the lugs I'l. By the construction shown and described a tool supporting head has been provided which will permit the use of either chain or cable connecting elements without alteration.

What is claimed is:

l. A tool supporting head for Well pumping equipment comprising a body member formed for pivotal attachment to the forward end of a walking beam, the' front surface of said head being curved, an anchor block secured to the body at the upper end of the curved surface, said block being formed with a pair of arcuate rccesses, and a plate removably carried by said block for closing the open side of said recesses.

2. A tool supporting head for well pumping equipment comprising a body member formed for pivotal attachment to the forward end of a walking beam, the front surface of said head being curved vertically, an anchor block secured to the body at the upper end of the curved surface, said block being formed with a pair of arcuate recesses, a pair of transversely spaced perforated lugs provided at each end of one of said recesses, and a cover plate removably carried by said block for closing the open side of said recesses.

3. Tool supporting mechanism for well pumping equipment of the type having a walking beam, comprising a body member secured to the walking beam, the front surface of said head being vertically curved, an anchor block fixed to said body at the upper end of said curved surface, said block being formed with a plurality of arcuate recesses, a pair of transversely spaced perforated lugs provided at each end of one of said recesses, the perforations in said lugs being in horizontal registration, a polished rod grip having a body, spaced perforated lugs formed on the upper surface of said body, the spacing between the lugs on said polished rod grip conforming to the spacing between said pairs of lugs on said head, a flexible chain extending between each pair of lugs on said head and a lug on said polished rod grip, and pivot pins extending through the perforations in said lugs and said chains.

4. A tool supporting head for well pumping equipment comprising a body member having a curved front surface, an anchor block carried by said body at the upper end of said curved surface, said block having a pair of arcuate recesses, and a plate removably carried by said block for closing the open sides of said recesses.

CLIFFORD R. ATI-IY. 

